I’m pleased to announce that I’ve been selected to contribute an 1000-word essay to Jon Strande’s forthcoming book, 100 Bloggers.
Here’s how Strande describes this project: “The purpose of the book is to push blogging further into the mainstream – to give people a taste of what blogging is all about and extend an offer for them to join us.”
Not a bad idea, given that the recent Pew report, The State of Blogging, revealed that 62% of US internet users do not know what a blog is…
A couple of days ago I was selected to participate in this project by Paul Chaney of Radiant Marketing Group. (Here’s his announcement of my selection.) Paul also is contributing to the book. He was invited to participate. Then, when it was his turn to invite one more blogger, he realized that he knew too many good bloggers to make an easy choice. So he openly invited pitches from bloggers interested in participating.
I threw my hat in the ring. Here’s what I wrote:
Here’s my preferred topic: People need to talk to each other more – and even more importantly, they need to relearn how to listen. More than that, people are demonstrating a deep yearning for more conversation.
This is true for individuals and groups, including companies and other organizations.
A century of near-total hegemony of mass media has seriously crippled our ability to converse. Mass media has brought us together in some ways, but isolated and polarized us in many others. It has made our minds rigid, dulled our social senses, and malnourished our communities. It’s brought us the world yet stolen our neighborhoods.
Blogs are one important crack in that armor. They’re reminding us that we all have something to say – and that people will listen. That’s more than just a hobby. It’s humanity in action.
IMHO, of course
I’m humbled that Paul picked me, given that my competition was so stiff. Other pitches came from some top-notch bloggers: Jeff De Cagna (Association Innovation) , Hans Henrik (publicMIND), Tris Hussey (View from the Isle), Jim Logan (Making the Most of Your Business), and others.
SO… WHAT TO WRITE?
Strande says the topic of my essay (due by mid-February) is up to me. I can use or adapt an existing CONTENTIOUS article, or write a new one for the occasion. I need not be bound by the theme of my pitch to Chaney. Also, the topic need not be related to blogging, the internet, or online media. The field is wide open.
Few things are more intimidating than a blank page and no rules.
I’d like some input from my readers on this decision. If you had to pick one article from CONTENTIOUS to share in print format with an audience comprised mainly of nontechnical people (many of whom might not even use the internet at all), which would it be?
OR: What topic might you suggest for a brand-new article that I would write for this book? This could be a followup on a previous article, or something entirely new.
Comment below or e-mail me. Please provide your suggestion ASAP – I’ll probably make my decision in the next few days. Thanks!
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